Patent Application
20240300777
The present invention relates in general to firehose winding apparatuses. More particularly, the invention is directed to portable firehose winding apparatuses capable of being folded into a compact, stowable configuration having an adjustable crank arm for reeling firehoses.
One of the tasks required of firefighters after a fire is extinguished is to roll up firehoses. In the past, without a hose winder, a firefighter was required to bend over and painstakingly roll up each hose while walking the roll further along. This is tiring and tough on the back. The general need for a hose winder, therefore, is to lessen the strain on a firefighter's back.
There have been some hose winders to date, but the known winders break down into multiple, unwieldy parts and, therefore, are somewhat difficult to carry, deploy, and stow. A winder according to a preferred embodiment of the invention easily folds up and is carried, mounted, used, and stowed as a unit.
Accordingly, a need exists for a firehose winder that easily folds up and is carried, mounted, used, and stowed as a unit.
In the first aspect, a firehose winder is described. The firehose winder comprises an assembly comprising a tongue for connecting to a hitch of a vehicle, a riser hingeably connected to the tongue, a horizontal main stay tube hingeably connected to the riser, and a firehose winder mechanism attached to the horizontal main stay tube and configured to receive and wind a firehose. The tongue, the riser, and the horizontal main stay tube of the assembly are movable between a closed configuration for stowing the firehose winder and an open configuration where the horizontal main stay tube is reversibly locked and displaced vertically with respect to the tongue.
In a first preferred embodiment, when the assembly is in the closed configuration, the riser is positioned immediately adjacent to and parallel with the tongue, and the horizontal main stay tube is positioned immediately adjacent to and parallel with the riser. The firehose winder mechanism preferably further comprises a center mount plate attached to a shaft and positioned on a side of the horizontal main stay tube opposite a two-piece crank arm, two hose mount pins attached to and extending away from the center mount plate, the two hose mount pins configured to receive and wind the firehose, and an adjustable crank arm coupled to the center mount plate, wherein the handle may be moved away or towards an axis of the shaft. The firehose winder mechanism preferably comprises a shaft positioned through at least one hole formed in the horizontal main stay tube, a two-piece crank arm comprising a near portion and a far portion, near and far being used here in terms of radial distance from the shaft. The near portion is attached to the shaft where the length of the near portion is perpendicular to an axis of the shaft, the far portion is movably coupled to the near portion, and a handle is attached to a distal end of the far portion. The firehose winder mechanism preferably further comprises a center mount plate attached to the shaft and positioned on a side of the horizontal main stay tube opposite the two-piece crank arm, and two hose mount pins attached to and extending away from the center mount plate, the two hose mount pins configured to receive and wind the firehose. The firehose winder preferably further comprises a hold-down mechanism mounted on the horizontal main stay tube for applying a downward force on the firehose as the firehose is wound onto the firehose winder mechanism. The hold-down mechanism preferably comprises a lower slide hose hold-down coupled to the horizontal main stay tube, the lower slide hose down having a first length perpendicular to the horizontal main stay tube and a first curved contour formed perpendicular to the length of the lower slide hose hold-down, an arm rotatably coupled to the horizontal main stay tube, an upper slide hose hold-down rotatably coupled to the arm, the upper slide hose down having a second length perpendicular to the horizontal main stay tube and a second curved contour formed perpendicular to the length of the upper slide hose hold-down, and a spring coupling the horizontal main stay tube and the upper slide hose, the spring urging a downward force onto the firehose.
The firehose winder preferably further comprising an adjustable width mechanism for aligning and guiding the firehose laterally as the firehose is wound onto the firehose winder mechanism. The adjustable width mechanism comprises a fixed hose guide, a hose sizer tube having a plurality of index holes, the hose sizer tube attached to and extending laterally away from the horizontal main stay tube, a guide slider movable coupled to the hose sizer tube, the guide slider having a retractable pin for engaging with the index holes, and a movable hose guide coupled to the guide slider. The firehose winder preferably further comprises a stow pin mount plate attached to the riser, the stow pin mount plate having a length extending perpendicular from a length of the riser, a first retractable pin connected to the stow pin mount plate, the first retractable pin configured to secure the horizontal main stay tube adjacent to the riser and a second retractable pin connected to the stow pin mount plate, the second retractable pin configured to secure the horizontal main stay tube adjacent to the tongue. The assembly preferably further configures a toggle clamp for removably locking the horizontal main stay tube in place when the assembly is in the open configuration.
In a second aspect, a firehose winder is disclosed. The fire hose winder comprises an assembly comprising a tongue for connecting to a hitch of a vehicle, a riser hingeably connected to the tongue, a horizontal main stay tube hingeably connected to the riser, and a firehose winder mechanism attached to the horizontal main stay tube configured to receive and wind a firehose, the firehose winder mechanism having an adjustable crank arm where the handle may be moved relative to an axis of the shaft.
In a second preferred embodiment, the tongue, the riser, and the horizontal main stay tube of the assembly are movable between a closed configuration for stowing the firehose winder and an open configuration where the horizontal main stay tube is reversibly locked and displaced vertically with respect to the tongue. When the assembly is in the closed configuration, the riser is positioned immediately adjacent to and parallel with the tongue, and the horizontal main stay tube is positioned immediately adjacent to and parallel with the riser. The firehose winder preferably further comprises a hold-down mechanism mounted on the horizontal main stay tube for applying a downward force on the firehose as the firehose is wound onto the firehose winder mechanism. The hold-down mechanism preferably comprises a lower slide hose hold-down coupled to the horizontal main stay tube, the lower slide hose down having a first length perpendicular to the horizontal main stay tube and a first curved contour formed perpendicular to the length of the lower slide hose hold-down, an arm rotatably coupled to the horizontal main stay tube, an upper slide hose hold-down rotatably coupled to the arm, the upper slide hose down having a second length perpendicular to the horizontal main stay tube and a second curved contour formed perpendicular to the length of the upper slide hose hold-down, and a spring coupling the horizontal main stay tube and the upper slide hose, the spring urging a downward force onto the firehose.
The firehose winder preferably further comprising an adjustable width mechanism for aligning and guiding the firehose as the firehose is wound onto the firehose winder mechanism. The adjustable width mechanism preferably comprises a fixed hose guide, a hose sizer tube having a plurality of index holes, the hose sizer tube attached to and extending laterally away from the horizontal main stay tube, a guide slider movable coupled to the hose sizer tube, the guide slider having a retractable pin for engaging with the index holes, and a movable hose guide coupled to the guide slider. The firehose winder preferably further comprises a stow pin mount plate attached to the riser, the stow pin mount plate having a length extending perpendicular from a length of the riser, a first retractable pin connected to the stow pin mount plate, the first retractable pin configured to secure the horizontal main stay tube adjacent to the riser, and a second retractable pin connected to the stow pin mount plate, the second retractable pin configured to secure the horizontal main stay tube adjacent to the tongue.
In a third aspect, a firehose winder is disclosed. The firehose winder comprises an assembly comprising a tongue for connecting to a hitch of a vehicle, a riser hingeably connected to the tongue, a horizontal main stay tube hingeably connected to the riser, a firehose winder mechanism attached to the horizontal main stay tube and configured to receive and wind a firehose, and a hold-down mechanism mounted on the horizontal main stay tube for applying a downward force on the firehose as the firehose is wound onto the firehose winder mechanism.
In a third preferred embodiment, the hold-down mechanism preferably comprises a lower slide hose hold-down coupled to the horizontal main stay tube, the lower slide hose down having a first length perpendicular to the horizontal main stay tube and a first curved contour formed perpendicular to the length of the lower slide hose hold-down, an arm rotatably coupled to the horizontal main stay tube, an upper slide hose hold-down rotatably coupled to the arm, the upper slide hose down having a second length perpendicular to the horizontal main stay tube and a second curved contour formed perpendicular to the length of the upper slide hose hold-down, and a spring coupling the horizontal main stay tube and the upper slide hose, the spring urging a downward force onto the firehose.
These and other features and advantages of the invention will become more apparent with a description of preferred embodiments in reference to the associated drawings.
Firefighters provide crucial services to the communities in which they work. One of the many tasks required of firefighters is to roll up firehoses that were used while extinguishing a fire. Traditionally, a firefighter would lay out a firehose on the ground in a straight line, and then, starting at one end, roll the firehose by hand. This requires a firefighter to painstakingly roll up each hose while walking the roll further along. This is tiring and tough on the back. The general need for a hose winder, therefore, is to lessen strain on a firefighter's back. While there have been some mechanical hose winders to date, known winders break down into multiple, unwieldy parts and, therefore, are somewhat difficult to carry, deploy, and stow.
A portable mechanical firehose winder is contemplated in one or more embodiments. The firehose winder comprises a foldable structure which can be stored and readily transported in a compact, stowed configuration that can be unfolded to place the firehose winder into a deployed configuration for use in the field. The firehose winder has a winder mechanism having two pins for securing a firehose connector. The two pins are mounted on a plate that can be rotated by hand with a crank arm. The firehose winder also has a firehose hold-down mechanism for slidably holding down a firehose as it traverses the winder toward the winder mechanism, as well as an adjustable width mechanism for accommodating firehoses of different width and for laterally guiding the firehose into the firehose winder mechanism.
A firefighter may roll up a firehose by laying an end of the firehose over the hold-down mechanism through the adjustable width mechanism which can be adjusted to accommodate firehoses of varying widths. The firefighter places the firehose connector between the two pins of the winder mechanism and rotates a crank arm by hand which rotates the two pins and rolls up the firehose. In a preferred embodiment, the length of the crank arm is adjustable so that greater torque may be applied to heavier firehoses simply by extending the length of the crank arm.
As used herein, the term “firehose” refers to high-pressure hoses which carry fluids such as water or other types of fire retardants which are designed to be stored flat to minimize the space required. The terms “vertical” and “horizontal” refer to the orientations of the firehose winder in the deployed configuration, where the term “vertical” refers to an upward direction away from the ground, and the term “horizontal” refers to an orientation generally parallel with the surface of the earth which is perpendicular to the vertical direction. The term “lateral” refers to a direction which is both perpendicular to the horizontal and vertical direction, such as the direction perpendicular to the length (i.e., the length of the horizontal main stay tube) in the same plane as the horizontal main stay tube. The term “substantially” may refer to imprecisions of orientation or alignment of mechanical parts which would be expected as a result of typical mechanical and machining tolerances as well as the orientation affected by the slope and orientation of a vehicle to which mechanical parts are attached. Although embodiments described herein refer to firehoses, it shall be understood that firehose winder described herein may be used by other types of hoses.
A firehose winder mechanism 153 is attached to the horizontal main stay tube 150 and is configured to receive and wind a firehose 50. The firehose winder mechanism 153 comprises a shaft 158 positioned through and movably affixed to at least one hole formed in the horizontal main stay tube 150, a two-piece crank arm 159 attached to the shaft 158 where the length of the two-piece crank arm 159 is perpendicular to the axis of the shaft 158, and a handle 168 attached to a distal end of the two-piece crank arm 159. A center mount plate 154 is attached to the shaft 158 and is positioned on a side of the horizontal main stay tube 150 opposite that of the two-piece crank arm 159. Two hose mount pins 156 are attached to and extends away from the center mount plate 154 where the two hose mount pins 156 are configured to receive and wind the firehose 50.
The hose mounts pins 156 are preferably eccentrically offset from the shaft 158, as shown in
A hold-down mechanism 180 is mounted on the horizontal main stay tube 150 for applying a downward force on the firehose 50 as the firehose 50 is wound onto the firehose winder mechanism 153. An adjustable width mechanism 190 is also attached to the horizontal main stay tube 150 and is employed for aligning and guiding the firehose 50 laterally as the firehose 50 is wound onto the firehose winder mechanism 153.
A user in the field would open the assembly 105 by rotating the tongue 110 away from the riser 130, and then by rotating the horizontal main stay tube 150 away from the riser 130. The toggle clamp 142 is engaged to lock the horizontal main stay tube 150 in place. The tongue 110 is placed into and secured by a trailer hitch 20 attached to a vehicle 10 in an embodiment. The user would then retract the locking pin 114 of the tongue 110 and attached the assembly 105 into the trailer hitch 20 of the vehicle 10. During attachment, the firefighter would retract the locking pin 114 of the tongue 110 with an internal spring-loaded rocker mechanism (not shown), insert the tongue 110 into the hitch 20 (aka “receiver”), and securely attach the assembly 105 to the trailer hitch 20 of the vehicle 10 when the spring-loaded locking pin 114 is aligned with and automatically presses outward into a corresponding hole (not shown) in the hitch 20.
A user would them place the connector 60 between the hose mount pins 156 and drape the firehose 50 alongside the length of the horizontal main stay tube 150 and through the hold-down mechanism 180 and the adjustable width mechanism 190.
As shown in
As shown in
The firehose winder mechanism 153 is illustrated in
As shown in
In an embodiment, the near portion 160 is formed as a hollow rectangular tube which is dimensioned to receive the far portion 162 which also may be formed from a hollow rectangular tube. In an embodiment, the far portion 162 has a plurality of indexing holes 164 along its length. The near portion 160 has a retractable pin 166 which is configured to engage with the indexing holes 164 formed in the outer portion 162. As such, the user may adjust the length of the two-piece crank arm 159 by pulling on the retractable pin 166 on the near portion 160, sliding the far portion 162 into a desired position relative to the near portion 160, and then releasing the retractable pin 166 into one of the indexing holes 164 in the far portion 162 to secure the far portion 162 relative to the near portion 160.
Moreover, the far portion 162 is configured to be axially rotatable within the near portion 160 when the far portion 162 is fully extended from the near portion 160. In an embodiment, as best shown in
The two-piece crank arm 159 may be set up as follows. First, as shown in
Returning to
The hold-down mechanism 180 is illustrated in
The hold-down mechanism 180 further comprises a hold-down vertical extension 182, which is pivotably coupled to a hold-down arm 184, which, in turn, is coupled to the upper slide hose down 186. A spring 174 is positioned between the spring hose down 172 and the upper hose down 186 applies a downward force onto the firehose 50 as it traverses the firehose winder 101. The lower slide hose down 188 has a first length perpendicular to the horizontal main stay tube 150 and a first curved contour formed perpendicular to the length of the lower slide hose hold down 188. The hold-down mechanism 180 has an arm rotatably coupled to the horizontal main stay tube 150, an upper slide hose hold 186 down rotatably coupled to the arm 182, the upper slide hose down 186 having a second length perpendicular to the horizontal main stay tube 150 and a second curved contour formed perpendicular to the length of the upper slide hose hold down, and a spring 174 coupling the horizontal main stay tube 150 and the upper slide hose, the spring 174 urging a downward force onto the firehose 50.
The adjustable width mechanism 190 is illustrated in
Although the invention has been discussed with reference to specific embodiments, it is apparent and should be understood that the concept can be otherwise embodied to achieve the advantages discussed. The preferred embodiments above have been described primarily as portable firehose winders. In this regard, the foregoing description of the firehose winders is presented for purposes of illustration and description.
Furthermore, the description is not intended to limit the invention to the form disclosed herein. Accordingly, variants and modifications consistent with the following teachings, skill, and knowledge of the relevant art, are within the scope of the present invention. The embodiments described herein are further intended to explain modes known for practicing the invention disclosed herewith and to enable others skilled in the art to utilize the invention in equivalent, or alternative embodiments and with various modifications considered necessary by the particular application(s) or use(s) of the present invention.
